Wire-rope clamp.



B. c. IvIoISE.

WIRE ROPE CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED IULY3I. I9I7.

1,300,994-, Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I /f/s lli- FIGA ESII FIG.3

INVENTOR WITNESSES B. C, MOISE. WIRE ROPE 'CLM/IP.

N FILED l APPL |917. 1,300,994., Patented Apr. 15, 1919.

1 2 SHEET SSSSSSS 2.

lllllllllll l' NNNNNN OR BOLTON C. MOISE, O F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

WIRE-ROPE GL.

incassa.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led July 31, 1917. Serial No. 183,716,

To atwkom t may concern:

Be it lmownthat I, BOLTON C. MQSE, ay citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire- Rope Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of clamps, and more particularly of clamps for connecting crossed or overlapped members, such as strands of wire, wire ropes or cables at their points of intersection.

One object of my invention is to provide a rope clamp having novel means whereby crossed wire ropes are connected at their points of intersection, wherein the crossed ropes are held out of contact with one another, and are securely fastened at the intersections thereof, and whereby relative movement thereof at the points of intersection is etfectually prevented.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a clamp having improvedmeans and arranged in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the rope clamps shown in Fig. 1, the section being taken on the line Ill-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section, on the line lll-lll of'Fig. 1, of the clamp of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan showing details in the construction of the rope seating grooves of my improved clamp.

Fig. 5 is a plan showing a modiied form of clamp constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal side elevation of the clamp of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the same, the section being taken on the line VIL-VII of Fig. 5.

In the accompanying drawings, referring now to Figs. l to 4, the numerals 2 and 4 designate outer clam-ping members, and 3 the intermediate member of my improved ropeclamp. It is to be understood that the word rope as used herein is intended to cover a wire rope, astrand of wires or small ropes, and a cable or large wire rope.

The adjoining faces 5a and .6a of the members 2 and 3 have registering semi-circular grooves 5 and 6 therein, and-the adjoining faces 7a and 8a of the members 3 and 4 have similar registering semi-circular grooves 7 and 8 therein. rlhe grooves 5 and'6, and also the grooves 7 and 8 co-act to form substantially circular rope receiving openings, in which the ropes 9 and 10 are seated and tightly gripped when connected by the clamp members. The adjoining faces of the clamp members are separated slightly so that when the bolts 11, or equivalent rivets, are tightened in fastening the clamp. members Patented Apr. 15, 1919.-

together, the surfaces of the ropes 9 and 10 r will be tightly gripped vandthe ropes will be rigidly held within the openings formed by the grooves 5 and 6, and grooves 7 and 8. The pairs of grooves are reversely curved lengthwise so as to form la, sinuous or undulatory seat for the rope, the reverse curves being formed by provid-ing a hump 12 in the grooves 6 and 7 and a depression 13 in the grooves 5 and 8 opposite each hump. In

this way the portions of the ropes 9 and/10 within the grooves are bent or kinked so as to assist in preventing lengthwise movementnv of the rope within the openings formed by the pairs of registering grooves.

As shownin Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the surfaces of the registering grooves 5-'-6, and 7 8, are provided with a series'of V-shaped ridges or projections 14, (see Figs. 2, 3, and 4), which, b engagement with the ropes 9 and 10, are displaced and caused to flow into the hollowsI in the outer surfaces of the wire ropes during the tightening of the clamp members on the rope. In this vway a serra-ted or roughened surface is provided which lapproximates the contour of the outer surface of the ropes and -aids in preventing endwise movement thereof within the grooves of the clamp. These transverse ridges 14 will be used with clamping members made of relatively soft steel, when hard steel w-ire ropes are used. The ridges, while desirable, may be dispensed with, particularly with the smaller sizesof wire ropes.

The clamp members 2, 3, and' 4 of Figs. 1, 2 and '3, are provided with a series oftransversely extending, registering holes, and positioned in these holes are the bolts 11 hav-v ing nuts 15 on the screw threaded ends thereof. Preferably the heads of the bolts are square, and a rib or projection 16 is providedv on one or the other of the outer members, which engages the bolt heads to prevent the bolts turning when the nuts 16 are being screwed on and off the bolts.

While the clamp members are shown fastened together by means of screw threaded bolts and nuts, it will be apparent that rivets or other fastening means may be used instead.

In the modied `construction, shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the numerals 2 and 4 designate the outery members, and 3 the intermediate member of this rope clamp. The adjoining faces 5a and 6a of the members 2 and 3 have registering semi-circular grooves 5 and 6 therein, and the adjoining faces 7a and 8a of the members 3 and 4 also have registering semi-circular grooves 7 and 8 therein. The registering grooves 5, 6, on one side of the intermediate member 3 extend lengthwise at right angles to the grooves 7 and 8 on the other side of the intermediate members, in the s ame manner as in the construction of Figs. 1 to 4.

rlhe surfaces of the grooves in the construction of Figs. 5 6, and 7, whilepshown smooth, may be provided with a series of transverse ridges or projections 14, constructed in the' same manner as shown in Fig. 4. The surfaces of the grooves in the clamp, however, also will be roughened by the pressure exerted in applying the clamp members to the ropes, particularly with the smaller sizes of ro es, for which the clamp of Figs. 5, 6, and is particularly adapted for use, the rope becoming embedded in the clamp members.

The members 2, 3, and 4 are provided with transversely extending registering holes, and positioned in these holes are rivets 17 which are upset and headed after the parts have been secured in assembled position by means of an auxiliary high powered clamp temporarily applied thereto. Whendesired, bolts may be substituted for the rivets 17 in fastening the clamps together.

In the construction of Figs. 5, 6, and 7 the ends of the clamp members are tapered or chamfered in vorder to lessen the weight of the clamp, this being possible withoutlessening the gripping strength of the clamp. ln both constructions the holes formed by the pairs of registering grooves-5, 6,--7, 8, are straight at the ends of the clamping members, and the straight portions extend inwardly for an appreciable distance in axial alinement with one another.

All sharp edgeswill be carefully rounded The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The apparatus is simple, is very strong and durable, and is easily and quickly applied for use either in the shop or in the field.

Modifications in the details of the parts forming my improved clamp may be made Within the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

li claim 1. A rope clamp comprising outer members and an intermediate member, said members having registering, rope receiving grooves in adjoining faces thereof, with the registering grooves on opposite sides of said intermediate member extending lengthwise at an angle with each other, said grooves being reversely curved lengthwise'to form a sinuous seat for. the ropes and having straight co-axial end portions connected by the reversely curved ortions and means for connecting said mem ers in rope clamping engagement.

2. A rope'clamp comprising outer members and an intermediate member, said mem-` bers having registering, rope receiving wise at an angle with each other, said grooves being reversely curved lengthwise and having projections on the surfaces thereof to form a sinuous, serrated seat for the ropes, transversely extending, registering holes in said members and means in said holes for connecting the members in rope clamping position.

4. A rope clamp comprising outer members and an intermediate member, said members having registering, rope receiving grooves in the adjoining faces thereof, with the registering grooves in opposite'sides of said intermediate member extending lengthwise at angle with each other, said grooves being reversely curved lengthwise and having projections on the surfaces thereof to form a sinuous, serrated seat for the ropes, transversely extending, registering ing grooves therein and said grooves unduholes insaid members and rivets in said lating lengthwise to kink ropes clamped l0 holes for fastening said members in rope therein, and means for fastening said clamp clamping engagement. members in rope clamping position.

5. A rope clamp comprising an intermein testimony whereof have hereunto set diate clamping member and eoaeting outer my hand. members, the adjacent facesof said members having registering semi-circular rope receiv- BULTON C. MOSE. 

